Initially bought in 1890 by Geneviève Quiot’s great-grandfather and friend of Cézanne’s, Aurélien Houchart, the 90-hectares of vineyards of Domaine Houchart sit at the foot of Mont Sainte Victoire in Provence.

Evidence demonstrates that the lands have been farmed as vineyards since Roman times; in deference to the environment and heritage preservation, they family has retained many of the original copses that contain almond trees, olive trees and umbrella pines as well as the aromatic underbrush of thyme and rosemary and other “garrigue” aromatic broom and brush. The Domaine is situated 15 kms. from Aix-en-Provence in the village of Puyloubier, on a plateau, in the middle of a vast expanse of chalky pebble deposits (runoff from Mont Sainte Victoire) that are beneficial for growing red wines.

A family dynasty. What’s more, Famille Quiot,who has been making French wines since 1748, is a veritable and authentic French wine dynasty. The family represents a marriage union (1975) of two heirs, Jérôme and Geneviève, to families Quiot and Houchart, each with long and successful winemaking histories in both Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Provence. They have continued the legacy, now aided by their two children, with exports totaling 95% of their annual 1.2 million bottle production. Famille Quiot is one of the largest, by volume, and oldest family and privately held, winemaking operations in Southern France.